The New Year for Families

I’ve always considered September the start of the new year for me. It’s a fresh start when we drop the exciting chaos of summer and ease back into routines and schedules. I like that. It makes me feel relaxed, organized and in control.

Seeing as this is a fresh start for me, and for so many parents, children and families, I thought I’d put together my September to-do list. (Lists are the other things that make me feel relaxed, organized and in control!)

 

Sabina’s September To-Do List

• Get the kids settled back into school. (Find tips to make this smooth, especially for the newest students, on page 12)
• Make a meal plan. (I’ve been guilty of eating out on patios and nibbling on snacks. I want to plan my dinners, stick to a grocery list and stock up my freezer. Find out how I’ll do it on page 14.)
• Help others. John Holmes says, “There is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month AND Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month. Find out how you can help on pages 18 and 21.
• Make mistakes! And let our kids make them too. We’re all on this earth to learn, and one of the best ways to do that is through trial and error. So be brave enough to be bad at something new this month, and read Janet Smith’s “Mistaeks Happenn” on page 20.
• Consider a new career? Not for me – I’m in love with my baby, The Mom & Caregiver magazine. But if you dream of a meaningful, professional career and want to make a difference in children’s lives, find out more on the right hand side of page 5.
• Take time to think, learn and wear an orange shirt on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is meant to recognize the tragic history of loss, and the lasting effects of Canada’s residential school system. Every Child Matters!

 

Here’s wishing you a September that checks everything off your list. All the best to the kiddos heading back to school and to the families and teachers who support them!

 

Sabina Manji, a lifelong Londoner, is an irrepressible entrepreneur, mother of a wonderful son, and also a committed volunteer.